The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday convicted a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, who was charged with N7.65bn fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Senate Chief Whip and two others had been on trial for the past 12 years over alleged N7.65bn theft of Abia government money.
Kalu’s co-defendants were his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, and Udeh Udeogu, the Director of Finance and Accounts during the former’s tenure between 1999 and 2007.
Kalu was prosecuted on an amended 39-count charge of fraud-related offences.
In the charge, the defendants were alleged to have committed the offence between August 2001 and October 2005.
Kalu was alleged to have utilised his company to retain in the account of a First Inland Bank, now FCMB, the sum of N200 million alleged to have formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the government.
In one of the counts, his company, Slok Nig. Ltd. and one Emeka Abone, who was said to be at large, allegedly retained in the company’s account the sum of N200 million, on behalf of Kalu.
In counts one to 10, they were alleged to have retained about N2.5 billion in different accounts.
In all the counts, the defendants allegedly diverted over N7.1 billion from the Abia State government’s treasury.
The offence was said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts.
During the trial, the prosecution called 19 witnesses while the defendants testified on behalf of themselves.
Delivery judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris found the former governor guilty of all charges and thereafter sentenced Kalu to 12 years imprisonment. The 12 year sentence was the highest among the 39 counts, the lowest being three years.
Kalu’s associate, Udeogu, was found guilty of 34 counts and sentenced to 10 years in prison, while the company which was used in perpetrating the fraud, Slok Limited, was ordered to be wound up.